Hello, Im looking for a little advise. I had planned on buying a French Bulldog but I now have a new job with an odd schedule and long hours. Im single, live in a spacious apartment but im afraid my hours of work may not be fair to a dog. My schedule is 4 days on 4 days off. I work two days then two nights with a split shift in the middle but unfortunately with travel im away from home for the entire day. For my two day shifts I leave the apartment at 06:30 am and return at 9pm then for my two night shifts I leave the apartment at 6:30pm and return at 09:00am. Obviously I could take a dog for a good walk early in the morning then arrange a walk by a professional walker at some point in the afternoon then another walk as soon as I get home. Then The night shifts I could go for a very long walk in the daytime, another walk before I leave then again immediately in the morning when I return from work. My questions are...... Is this enough exercise for a French Bulldog? Is this too long for a French Bulldog to be left alone? I appreciate any advise I can get... As of now my decision is obviously on hold but I just want to see if its an option. And obviously I have lots of neighbours that can help out. Thanks
It is good that you are thinking this through carefully, but you might not like my opinion. Even with a dog walker coming in,I think that this is far too long to leave a dog alone. When I was breeding, I wouldn't place a dog where the owners were going to leave the dog for more than five hours at a stretch. Dogs are social creatures and need company if they are not to develop behavioural problems, such as soiling and nuisance barking. I also think that your hours are too erratic to allow the dog to form a routine, and most dogs do have a pretty accurate inner clock, which gives a shape to their day. My dogs will 'Huh' at me if I spend ten minutes longer than usual in bed. They prompt me for their 11am walk, and can judge their lunch, supper and bedtimes to within a quarter of an hour. I think you may be the right person to own a dog, but the time may not be right yet.
I have to respectfully disagree. The pups are going to be breed regardless if you can give one a loving home go for it. My wife and I both work so our babies are crated more than we would like. We bought a second one to keep the two of them company. Not to many people have the means to purchase one let alone 2 and provide for there needs.
Mostly they come from puppy farms /commercial or BYB breeders, one is only encouraging these Unethical breeders to continue, who don't care what conditions the dogs are kept in or how they're bred.
Neither one of my dogs came from puppy farms. I never suggested that I approved of this kind of unethical breeding was ok. I’m just saying if he can provide a loving quality home I don’t think he should be discouraged from getting a puppy just because he has to crate it more than is preferred.
Being left for up to fourteen and a half hours is not just, 'more than is preferred'. In those vital early weeks, a puppy needs much more than a visit from a dog walker. It needs feeding at very regular intervals. It needs the opportunity to be able to learn to hold its urine and bowel contents. It needs a watchful eye to spot the beginnings of problem behaviours developing - such as barking, destructiveness, and unhygeinic habits. It needs companionship and interactive play to develop confidence, and a nicely rounded character as an adult. The fact that the OP had sufficient doubts to ask the question shows that she already has doubts. I am sure that she will make a great dog owner when the time is right. I'm afraid we will have to agree to disagree about this.